Sign



March 1 7, 1925.

H. C. SEITZ SIGN Filed April 20 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 GROW/M3 ingportions being broken away for better Patented Mar. 17, 1925.

UNITED STATES HENRY CLINTON SEITZ, OF NILES, OHIO.

SIGN.

Application filed April 20, 1923. Serial No. 683,358.

To all whom it may concern:

a citizen of the United States, residing at Niles, in the county of Trumbull and State of Ohio, has invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in signs andhas for its objects to provide a sign housing or casing of novel construction wherein the numbers or reading matter may readily be changed; the characters formin the numbers, letters or words properly space and wherein the display will be equally good in daylight or when illuminated at night.

Anotherobject of the invention is to provide a sign casing or housing that will be inexpensive. which will exhibit the reading matter boldly and distinctly and which shall have a pleasing appearance.

With these, and other objects in view, the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein,-

Fig. 1 shows the improved sign in perspective.

Fig. 2 illustrates the housing or casing in horizontal cross-section, as the same would appear if viewed on the line 22 of Fig. 1.]

Fig. 3 shows a group. of the individual characters and spacing blanks in perspective and also shows a portion of the casingwall with its flanged openings in which the individual characters and blanks are placed.

Fig. 4 illustrates a central vertical sectional detail through the complete sign casillustratin the parts.

Fig. 5 s ows a horizontal cross-sectional view through the casing on the line 5-5 of Fig. 6 illustrates the inner side of the easing wiall as viewed on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5, an

Fig. 7 shows the detached slotted clamping-plate which is'employed on the extreme interior of the casing to hold the translucent glass plate and characters in place.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 10, designates a rectangular casing or housing of any desired material and may be of either sheet or cast metal.

In the present instance the casing is shown as having a top'or covering 11 but this is not essential.

From each of the four vertical side walls 10 there is provided an inwardly-projecting flange or lug 12,- each lug extending horizontally from its side wall at or near the bottom edge of the latter, as shown in Figs. .2 and 4 of the drawings.

Each of the side wallsof the casing has a construction like the other side walls so that a description of one will apply to the others.

The side wall 10. in the form of structure shown, is provided with an upper slot 13 and a lower slot 14, both of which slots extend horizontally and in this instance the upper slot 13 is of less length than the lower slot 14, but this is also immaterial to the real invention.

Around these slots 13 and 14: I provide an outwardly-extending flange or oif-set 15, the inner side of the off-set being flush with the inner vertical surface of the side wall.

These off-sets about the horizontal slots are provided for the purpose of receivin bar 18 is the same or less than the vertical height of the slots 13 and 14:. This is very desirable because when, the characters are placed in the rear side of the slot the flange 15 around the slot will cover said upper and lower bars 17 and 18 and only the character itself will show on the outside of the casing.

In addition to the characters 16 I find it desirable to provide a series of blanks or filler plates 19 having the same height as that of the characters so that said blanks maybe utilized in properly spacing and centering a number, formed by several characters or a word. in the horizontal slots 13 or 14.

Particular attention is directed to the fact that the vertical edges 20 of the characters 16 and the vertical edges of the filler plates 19 are beveled so that when several characters or characters and filler plates are arran ed in a horizontal line, the abutting vertical edges will lap so as to avoidcracks through which light rays from the interior of the casing wil project between adjacent characters or filler plates.

It will also be noted that when the characters 16 or filler blanks 19 are placed in the in place in the slots 13 and 14, I place at the.

inner side of the casing-wall 10. a. glass or other plate 21 which is translucent and through which light rays may pass but objects may not be seen. This plate 21 is of a size that will cover all theslot-s 13 or 14 pro vided in any one side wall 10 of the casing and it seats up close against the characters and filling-blanks that have been placed in said slots. By this means the characters and filling-blanks are prevented from inward displacement by the translucent plate while the flanges 15 will prevent them from outward displacement.

At the inner side of each translucent plate 21, I place another plate22 which latter may be of metal or other substance. This plate 22, is of a larger dimension both vertically and horizontally than the translucent plate 21 so that its marginal edges project over the edges of the said translucent plate,

as clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings, and bolts or screws 23 are passed through openings 24 in the plate 22 and extend horizontally beneath and also over the translucent plate 21 and then extend through the wall 10 of the casing. The lower edge therefore of the translucent plate 21 will rest upon the screws 23, as clearly seen in Fig. 1 of the drawing, so that said translucent plate cannot drop down.

The inner plate 22 is provided with upper and lower slots 25 and 26 respectively, which slots are in alinement with the slots 13 and 14 whereby light rays from a lamp 27 on the interior of the casing may pass through the slots 25-26 then through the translucent plate 21, and finally through the spaces around the marginal edges of the characters but not through characters themselves.

' In the present instance the casing 10 is provided with two horizontal cross-bars 28, which are attached to the lugs or flanges 12 and these cross-bars are seated on the upper end of a post 29, and secured thereon by a bolt. 30. The casing however, may be supported in other ways.

WVires 31 may be ledup through the post 29 and from the upper end thereof said wires extending across the bars 28 and up the inner side of the casing to the lamp 27.

Having described my invention, I cla-im,

1. In a sign device the combination with a casing having slots in its side wall-with a flange at the: outer side of each slot, of a series of separable and individual characters in said slots and behind said flange and a translucent plate through which light rays may pass. said translucent plate being seated against the inner faces of the characters to hold the same in the slots and against said flanges.

2. In a sign device the combination with a casing having slots in its side wall, of individual characters in said slots, a translucent plate at the inner side of the wall and also at. the inner side of the characters to hold the latter in the slots and a slotted plate at the inner side of the translucent plate the slots of said latter plate being in register with the slots in the said wall.

In a sign device the combination with a casing having slots in its side wall, of individual characters in said slots, a translucent plate at the inner side of the Wall and also at the inner side of the characters to hold the latter in the slots, a plate at the inner side of the translucent plate and having its lower edge projecting below the lower edge of the said translucent plate said innermost plate having slots to permit light rays to pass to and through the translucent plate and fastening devices passing through the innermost plate and forming a support for the lower edge of the translucent plate.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

HENRY CLINTON SEITZ. 

